The War That Lasted 335 Years With No Shots
The Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly were at war from 1651 to 1986 — peace was declared after someone noticed.
Reviewed by the CurioVault curator · 8 October 2026 · Editorial standards
During the English Civil War, the Dutch sided with Parliament. When Royalists fled to Scilly, the Dutch declared war on the isles in 1651. They never fought, and everyone forgot. In 1985 historian Roy Duncan found the declaration still technically active. A Dutch ambassador sailed to Scilly and signed peace on 17 April 1986 — 335 years, zero casualties. The longest war in history.
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